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| The drugs that were found inside dogs |
Dozens of people have been arrested after a drug smuggling ring that used live dogs to smuggle drugs was busted, according to press reports in the United States.
The ruthless gang were force feeding the innocent animals bags of cocaine and then slicing their stomachs open to get them out once they had reached their destination.
Some 75 people were detained across northern Italy and Rome for the scam, which saw 50 puppies, including Great Danes, Labradors and mastiffs, die.
One newspaper reported that the suspects, who face charges of conspiracy, drug trafficking and illegal possession of weapons, had ties to the drug cartels in South America.
The dogs were stuffed with plastic packets each containing 2.8 pounds of the drug.